PROMISES were made in July that the prices of chicken and eggs will return to normal and the market will stabilize, and Minister of Tourism, Industry of Commerce Manniram Prashad has said this is happening gradually.
“There is no shortage of eggs and chicken and the markets are stable,” he said.
However, the Ministry is monitoring the situation to ensure that the demands for the upcoming Christmas season can be met.
In the event that this demand cannot be met, Prashad said licenses will be issued to facilitate importation of these commodities.
The Minister pointed out that this is not the ideal avenue, but it is one that will be pursued to ensure that demand is met and local producers do not exploit customers.
It should be noted that over the last two years the Government had no need to issue import licenses for chickens and eggs.
In July, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Guyana Poultry Producers Association (GPPA) were partnering to examine ways in which the poultry industry could remain competitive.
At that meeting, Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud said that although Guyana has achieved self-sufficiency in these commodities, the price moves up from time to time and this is a concern for the Government.
At present the average price for chicken is $280 per pound and eggs are priced at three for $100.